Draining seasons for Giro d'Italia and Tour de France winners the reason for their absence in Innsbruck
Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas look set to miss the World Championships in Innsbruck later this month after a gruelling season to date.
Speaking before stage four of the Tour of Britain, Team Sky sports director Brett Lancaster confirmed that the two Grand Tour winners won’t be making the journey to Austria.
“Froome and G [Thomas] will finish their seasons here, it’s good to finish, on not necessarily a form wise high, but on a morale and psychological boost for next year on a high.”
Team Sky have been swamped with fans and well wishers across every stage of the race so far, a stark difference from the far from pleasant welcome their received in France.
“I think G originally thought about it [riding the worlds], I would have wanted him there in the team time trial but obviously he is burnt out after a massive season and the stress they put themselves under with training and diet etc.”
“I think the British and Aussie mentality is a little bit different to others, where they look after themselves all year but we tend to let ourselves go a bit when we can. So when you are switched on, you’re switched on but when you’re off, you’re off. Tom Dumoulin seems to keep himself in pretty good nick all year round but that’s just a culture thing.”
Dumoulin will more than likely line up as favourite for the 52.5km time trial as he looks to defend the title he won in Bergen last year.
Both Thomas and Froome were on the initial time trial longlist as well as the road race, therefore unless any late changes are made Alex Dowsett and Tao Geoghegan Hart will automatically take the two spots that Great Britain have been allocated.